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Acute Respiratory Infections among Under-five Children Admitted in a Tertiary Hospital of Nepal: A Descriptive
Radha Bhurtel1, Ram Prasad Pokhrel2, Balkrishna Kalakheti2
1Department of Nursing, College of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital, Bharatpur, Nepal.
Insights
Acute respiratory infection (ARI) affects over a third of hospitalized children under five in Nepal. Fever and cough are the most common symptoms, highlighting the need for prompt diagnosis and treatment.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
Background:
- Acute respiratory infection (ARI) is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in developing countries, particularly affecting vulnerable children under five.
- Under-five children are susceptible to common, yet treatable, conditions like ARI.
- Tertiary hospitals in central Nepal serve a significant population of young children at risk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of acute respiratory infections (ARIs) among hospitalized children under five years of age.
- To identify common presenting symptoms associated with ARI in this demographic.
- To provide data for public health interventions in central Nepal.
Main Methods:
- A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary hospital in Nepal from January 2018 to December 2019.
- Data from 660 hospitalized under-five children were analyzed using SPSS version 20.
- Prevalence was calculated with a 95% Confidence Interval, presented with frequencies and percentages.
Main Results:
- The prevalence of ARI among hospitalized under-five children was 36.67% (95% CI: 32.99-40.34).
- Fever (81%) and cough (76%) were the most frequent presenting complaints.
- Associated conditions included stunting (15%), wasting (10.7%), and being overweight (2.5%).
Conclusions:
- ARI is a significant cause of hospital admissions for children under five in central Nepal, with a high prevalence.
- Fever and cough are the primary indicators of ARI in this vulnerable population.
- Findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to reduce ARI burden in young children.
Introduction:
Acute respiratory infection is a major cause of mortality and morbidity among under-five children in developing countries. Children under five years of age are most vulnerable to various common but treatable conditions. The objective of this study is to find the prevalence of acute respiratory infections among under-five hospitalized children in a tertiary hospital of central Nepal.
Methods:
This was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in a tertiary hospital of Nepal from January 2018 to December 2019. Ethical approval was taken from the Institutional review committee (Reference No: 2020-073). Convenience sampling technique was used. Data was entered in the Microsoft excel sheet, then extracted and analyzed in the Statistical package of Social Sciences version 20. Point estimate at 95% Confidence Interval was calculated along with frequency and percentage and presented in tables and figures.
Results:
Among 660 children in our study, the prevalence of acute respiratory infection among hospitalized under-five children was 242 (36.67%) (32.99-40.34 at 95% Confidence Interval). Fever and cough were the most common presenting complaints among these children seen in 196 (81%) and 185 (76%) respectively. Stunting and wasting were seen in 37 (15%) and 26 (10.7%) of these children with acute respiratory infection while 6 (2.5%) of them were found overweight.
Conclusions:
Acute respiratory infection is the most common reason for hospital admission among children under five years of age and the prevalence was high as compared to the standard study. The chief complaints are fever and cough.
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